A New Paradigm: Ecological Architecture
Throughout the history, dealing with human phenomena has created many design styles and techniques. New scientific discoveries show that the whole ecosystem including human being has dynamic interconnective patterns. A new design concept, especially in architecture, needs a new solution to accomodate this image of the human being. How can architects integrate all issues in the frame of environment? Ecological design, sustainable architecture and green architecture are all new concepts based on the perfect relationship between mankind and the environment. Designers and environmentalists basicly focus on three main questions
What is the utility of using renewable energy in our designs?
What is the utility of using new materials and new technology?
What is the utility of the waste management?
The benefits of an energy saving site are economic, social and ecological. According to Hui, minimizing energy consumption and promoting human health should be the organizing principles of sustainable design. Energy saving architectural features, energy conserving building envelope and energy efficient systems are the important elements of design. Hui offers a simulation system, namely computer energy simulations, which can be used to assess energy conservation measures early and during the design process. This simulation has benefits as energy conservation and decreasing the construction costs. This simulation can also be used to refine designs and to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements. (Hui, 1996).
On the other hand, some designers talk about advantages of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydro-electric power. Also, they agree that improved heating and cooling systems and energy saving appliances will reduce energy consumption by as much as two-thirds. They suggest using windows which generate electricity through photovoltaic technologies. (Green Architecture, n.d.). This approach has a very good example in Australia’s street lighting system. Street lights have a photovoltaic system so that they gain their required energy from the sun. (LCA in Sustainable Architecture, n.d.). As some designers say “Indoor lighting will become more energy efficient, while outdoor lighting will depend on solar power.” (Green Architecture, n.d.)
Creating an energy circle is not the only problem that ecological design deals with. With the development of new technologies, things once seemed impossible in the past are becoming the indispensable part of our everyday life. “Environmentalists are aware of the damage inflicted on people and the environment by our globalized corporate culture.” (Dobereiner, n.d.) Using new technology and new materials is the second big issue of the sustainable architecture.
Today’s technology is changing very fast in accordance with the aspect of saving the environment and our natural resources. This developing eco-friendly technology will improve general quality of life, the health and the safety. Answering all possible problems by developing technology is the new approach for some designers. R. Buckminster Fuller has a concept ‘revolutionized design’, aiming ‘doing more with less’ with using new materials and new forms. Biochemist John Todd, self-named eco-designer, suggests an ecological engineering to create ‘living machines’. In his own words, he tries to find “the missing link between nature and architecture”. (cited in Lomba & Ortiz, 2003). Emilio Ambasz’s ‘living machineries’ are also has the same concept of technological eco-friendly design. (Paul, 2004)
Sanuel Mockbee from the Auburn University says: “The smart architect thinks rationally about a combination of issues including sustainability, durability, longevity, appropriate materials, and sense of place” (cited in Hui, 1996). This expression shows the basic approach to the ecological architecture.
Hui suggests some ways of efficient material usage.
• Re-use existing buildings and structures wherever possible.
• Design buildings for long life, with ease of maintenance and adaptability to changing needs.
• Construct buildings and infrastructure out of local and low-energy materials where possible. (Hui, 1996).
A different aspect from the designers of Enertia Building Systems, Inc. summarizes material issue by suggesting:
• Maximizing use of renewable building materials like wood.
• Minimizing use of non-renewable, energy intensive building materials like steel, brick, vinyl, aluminium and insulation. (Environmental Sustainable Architecture, n.d.)
Another big issue of ecological architecture deals with the waste problem. Using waste correctly, in other words, managing the waste, is another approach of sustainable architecture.
“Waste: a resource in the wrong place.” This old Chinese proverb fits the basic concept of today’s ecological designers perfectly. Waste is the inevitable part of all living creatures in the Earth, but only human beings cannot make their waste nutrient for another species. “We are the only species to produce wastes that can be broadly toxic and build up for long periods of time.”, says Sam Hui, and adds a quotation from William McDonough, Dean of the University of Virginia School of Architecture: “A sustainable society would eliminate the concept of waste.” (cited in Hui, 1996). According to Hui, waste is not a harmful product. It is a raw material out of place. Waste and pollution demonstrate gross inefficiency in the economic system since they represent resources that are no longer available for use and/or create harm in humans and other species. (Hui, 1996)
The other aspect is about a home-based-waste, used water. Some architects think that water, like all other waste, can be recycled. One aspect says that “water will also be recycled within a homes organic local treatment plant, where plants, algae, fish, and aquatic organisms will filter used water to produce clean water to be used as irrigation, clothes washing, etc.” (Green Architecture, n.d.)
Le Corbusier wrote: “If we eliminate from our hearts and minds all dead concepts in regard to the house, and look at the question from a critical and objective point of view, we shall arrive at the ‘House-Machine’,…healthy and beautiful in the same way that the working tools and instruments which accompany our existance are beautiful.”(cited in Joh, 1995). If we open our eyes to the situation of our old Earth and take measures in home-designing processes, we can left this planet to our children with contentment. We all have to remember the Kenyan proverb: “Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children.” Kermit the Frog was right, “It is not easy being green”
Akif Tek
References
Dobereiner, D. (n.d.). Metropolis to Matripolis. Retrieved May 6, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.ecotecture.com/library_eco/features/matripolis.html
Environmental Sustainable Architecture. (n.d.) Retrieved May 13, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://enertia .com/envirarc.htm
Green Architecture in the 21st Century. (n.d.) Retrieved May 13, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.reddawn.com/featart11.html
Hui, S. C. M. (1996). Sustainable Architecture. Retrieved May 13, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http:/www.arch.hku.hk/research/BEER/sustain.htm
Joh, H. (1995). The Ecological Paradigm in Architecture. Retrieved May 6, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http:/home.earthlink.net/ jluke313/test_frame.html
LCA in Sustainable Architecture. (n.d.). Environmental Credentials of Street Lightling in Australia. Retrieved May 13, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http:/www.lisa.au.com/CaseStudies/StreetLights.html
Lomba, E.A. & Ortiz. (2003). Questioning Ecological Design: A Deep Ecology Perspective. Retrieved May 6, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http:/www.ecotecture.com/library_eco/appropriate_tech/Lomba- Ortiz_questioningEco.html
Paul. (2004). Ecological Architecture. Retrieved May 6, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http:/www.futurehi.net/archives/000020.html
What is the utility of using renewable energy in our designs?
What is the utility of using new materials and new technology?
What is the utility of the waste management?
The benefits of an energy saving site are economic, social and ecological. According to Hui, minimizing energy consumption and promoting human health should be the organizing principles of sustainable design. Energy saving architectural features, energy conserving building envelope and energy efficient systems are the important elements of design. Hui offers a simulation system, namely computer energy simulations, which can be used to assess energy conservation measures early and during the design process. This simulation has benefits as energy conservation and decreasing the construction costs. This simulation can also be used to refine designs and to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements. (Hui, 1996).
On the other hand, some designers talk about advantages of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydro-electric power. Also, they agree that improved heating and cooling systems and energy saving appliances will reduce energy consumption by as much as two-thirds. They suggest using windows which generate electricity through photovoltaic technologies. (Green Architecture, n.d.). This approach has a very good example in Australia’s street lighting system. Street lights have a photovoltaic system so that they gain their required energy from the sun. (LCA in Sustainable Architecture, n.d.). As some designers say “Indoor lighting will become more energy efficient, while outdoor lighting will depend on solar power.” (Green Architecture, n.d.)
Creating an energy circle is not the only problem that ecological design deals with. With the development of new technologies, things once seemed impossible in the past are becoming the indispensable part of our everyday life. “Environmentalists are aware of the damage inflicted on people and the environment by our globalized corporate culture.” (Dobereiner, n.d.) Using new technology and new materials is the second big issue of the sustainable architecture.
Today’s technology is changing very fast in accordance with the aspect of saving the environment and our natural resources. This developing eco-friendly technology will improve general quality of life, the health and the safety. Answering all possible problems by developing technology is the new approach for some designers. R. Buckminster Fuller has a concept ‘revolutionized design’, aiming ‘doing more with less’ with using new materials and new forms. Biochemist John Todd, self-named eco-designer, suggests an ecological engineering to create ‘living machines’. In his own words, he tries to find “the missing link between nature and architecture”. (cited in Lomba & Ortiz, 2003). Emilio Ambasz’s ‘living machineries’ are also has the same concept of technological eco-friendly design. (Paul, 2004)
Sanuel Mockbee from the Auburn University says: “The smart architect thinks rationally about a combination of issues including sustainability, durability, longevity, appropriate materials, and sense of place” (cited in Hui, 1996). This expression shows the basic approach to the ecological architecture.
Hui suggests some ways of efficient material usage.
• Re-use existing buildings and structures wherever possible.
• Design buildings for long life, with ease of maintenance and adaptability to changing needs.
• Construct buildings and infrastructure out of local and low-energy materials where possible. (Hui, 1996).
A different aspect from the designers of Enertia Building Systems, Inc. summarizes material issue by suggesting:
• Maximizing use of renewable building materials like wood.
• Minimizing use of non-renewable, energy intensive building materials like steel, brick, vinyl, aluminium and insulation. (Environmental Sustainable Architecture, n.d.)
Another big issue of ecological architecture deals with the waste problem. Using waste correctly, in other words, managing the waste, is another approach of sustainable architecture.
“Waste: a resource in the wrong place.” This old Chinese proverb fits the basic concept of today’s ecological designers perfectly. Waste is the inevitable part of all living creatures in the Earth, but only human beings cannot make their waste nutrient for another species. “We are the only species to produce wastes that can be broadly toxic and build up for long periods of time.”, says Sam Hui, and adds a quotation from William McDonough, Dean of the University of Virginia School of Architecture: “A sustainable society would eliminate the concept of waste.” (cited in Hui, 1996). According to Hui, waste is not a harmful product. It is a raw material out of place. Waste and pollution demonstrate gross inefficiency in the economic system since they represent resources that are no longer available for use and/or create harm in humans and other species. (Hui, 1996)
The other aspect is about a home-based-waste, used water. Some architects think that water, like all other waste, can be recycled. One aspect says that “water will also be recycled within a homes organic local treatment plant, where plants, algae, fish, and aquatic organisms will filter used water to produce clean water to be used as irrigation, clothes washing, etc.” (Green Architecture, n.d.)
Le Corbusier wrote: “If we eliminate from our hearts and minds all dead concepts in regard to the house, and look at the question from a critical and objective point of view, we shall arrive at the ‘House-Machine’,…healthy and beautiful in the same way that the working tools and instruments which accompany our existance are beautiful.”(cited in Joh, 1995). If we open our eyes to the situation of our old Earth and take measures in home-designing processes, we can left this planet to our children with contentment. We all have to remember the Kenyan proverb: “Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children.” Kermit the Frog was right, “It is not easy being green”
Akif Tek
References
Dobereiner, D. (n.d.). Metropolis to Matripolis. Retrieved May 6, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.ecotecture.com/library_eco/features/matripolis.html
Environmental Sustainable Architecture. (n.d.) Retrieved May 13, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://enertia .com/envirarc.htm
Green Architecture in the 21st Century. (n.d.) Retrieved May 13, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.reddawn.com/featart11.html
Hui, S. C. M. (1996). Sustainable Architecture. Retrieved May 13, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http:/www.arch.hku.hk/research/BEER/sustain.htm
Joh, H. (1995). The Ecological Paradigm in Architecture. Retrieved May 6, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http:/home.earthlink.net/ jluke313/test_frame.html
LCA in Sustainable Architecture. (n.d.). Environmental Credentials of Street Lightling in Australia. Retrieved May 13, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http:/www.lisa.au.com/CaseStudies/StreetLights.html
Lomba, E.A. & Ortiz. (2003). Questioning Ecological Design: A Deep Ecology Perspective. Retrieved May 6, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http:/www.ecotecture.com/library_eco/appropriate_tech/Lomba- Ortiz_questioningEco.html
Paul. (2004). Ecological Architecture. Retrieved May 6, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http:/www.futurehi.net/archives/000020.html
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